CROFT MAY 15/16 PREVIEW – BRSCC FIESTA CHAMPIONSHIP
It’s an exciting time to be a part of the BRSCC Fiesta Championship right now, as not only is the new season finally here with the opening weekend at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire all set to begin, but it also marks the introduction of the new class for the next generation of Fiesta race car to compete within the championship. Thanks to all the development work over 2020 and the winter, the Mk7 Fiesta ST180 Turbo runs in its own points scoring class for its first full debut season. The new cars look the goods and are incredibly quick, so much so that the additional horsepower added within the required upgrades has led to the class being dubbed ST240 thanks to the uprated output.
The new cars are certainly going to add an exciting new element to the on-track action and there’s already several established names that have jumped straight into the new class. First off are those who have a fair amount of knowledge on these cars already, as they performed most of the on-track development work last year. John Cooper, David Nye and Zachary Lucas all put a large number of miles under their belts in the new cars and should be up to speed straight away. The rest of this weekend’s entry is drivers who are already well known to the championship but have decided to make the switch to see what these new cars are all about.
Series veteran Jamie Going is one who just couldn’t resist and takes to the wheel of one himself, with a second self-built example on the grid for Rob Smith. Specialized Motorsport has two cars on the grid for team boss Simon Horrobin and young charge Dominic Bush, while Daniels Motorsport teams up with ex-champion and former driver Jamie White’s JRW Motorsport to run the paddock’s favourite London based Italian driver Marco Ricci. This makes up the entry for the new cars, although there are several more in build or ready to race once current restrictions allow them to compete, including two in progress from 20Ten Racing and an example from another former champion, Alastair Kellett across the Irish Sea over in Ireland. Both he and his son William will be competing in the championship this year once they are permitted to visit the UK.
Now let’s look at the ST150 class cars which are still as popular as ever, with defending champions 20Ten Racing fielding Ethan Rogers as a sure favourite to go for the title. The team also keep in the family as Rosie Hunt looks set to make her Fiesta Championship debut too, so be sure to watch out for her. Last year’s runner up in points Spencer Stevenson did a phenomenal job in his first year in the paddock and will be looking to build on that success straight away this weekend, while another of 20Ten’s chargers will be former Clio Cup racer Luke Pinder who made a one-off start at Cadwell Park last year and may have plans to run a more substantial campaign this time.
Matt Chambers is a new name to the championship and a welcome addition, while a return comes in the form of Jack Youhill who will wish to return to similar fortunes when he battled for the old Class D title in a Mk7 Fiesta Zetec S against eventual champion White. Finally, we have a Fiesta Junior graduate in our ranks too as Briannie Davis moves into senior racing for the first time after her FJC season in 2020. Her brother George will be continuing in the junior ranks, but is sure to be cheering on his sister as she makes the big step up.
Scott Woodwiss
